Written questions by Brown-Fuller.

What steps her Department is taking to improve standards of road safety among delivery (a) riders and (b) drivers; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of withdrawing the right of provisional licence holders to work in this industry.

Everyone who rides or drives, including delivery couriers, has a duty to behave in a safe and responsible manner, and to follow the rules set out in The Highway Code. I have no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of withdrawing the right of provisional licence holders to ride while working. The Department worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to update the joint DfT/HSE guidance on work related road safety. The revised guidance, published in September 2021 and called Driving and riding safely for work, clearly sets out what commercial organisations and their employees must do to manage work related road safety and what their obligations are under law. Improving road safety is one of my highest priorities. Dangerous or unsafe behaviour by anyone on our roads is unacceptable. Too many people are killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. My department is developing the Government’s Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the capital funding settlement for road investment strategies on infrastructure investment along the A27.

As the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 11 June 2025, this Government will deliver notable improvements to people’s everyday travel by providing £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve roads across the country. We will provide updates on what this means for specific schemes and routes in due course.

What plans she has to increase the proportion of her Department's spending on active travel infrastructure.

Future funding for active travel, including capital funding for infrastructure, will be set out following the conclusion of the Spending Review.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the number of available driving tests in Chichester constituency.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain. Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK. To increase the number of tests available in Chichester, DVSA is deploying additional driving examiner (DE) resource from neighbouring driving test centres. From recent recruitment campaigns for the area, DVSA has a potential new DE starting training later this month. DVSA has also offered another candidate a training course starting later in the year. DVSA will continue to recruit in the area and has begun its next recruitment campaign. Once the campaign has closed, DVSA will make offers to successful applicants. DVSA is committed to providing its customers, including those in rural areas, with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.

What steps she is taking to reduce driving test waiting times in rural areas.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain. Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK. To increase the number of tests available in Chichester, DVSA is deploying additional driving examiner (DE) resource from neighbouring driving test centres. From recent recruitment campaigns for the area, DVSA has a potential new DE starting training later this month. DVSA has also offered another candidate a training course starting later in the year. DVSA will continue to recruit in the area and has begun its next recruitment campaign. Once the campaign has closed, DVSA will make offers to successful applicants. DVSA is committed to providing its customers, including those in rural areas, with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.

What steps National Highways are taking to improve road safety at roundabouts on the A27 in Chichester.

The safety of road users is National Highways’ top priority, and the company regularly reviews the safety performance of the strategic road network. Options identified by National Highways as part of the development of proposals within the RIS pipeline would seek to improve the safety performance of the A27, particularly at the junctions to the south of Chichester.

What steps National Highways are taking to reduce congestion on the A27 through Chichester.

National Highways has developed a number of options to improve the performance of the A27 through Chichester as part of the pipeline of projects being considered for possible delivery in a future Road Investment Strategy, beyond 2031.

How much funding her Department has provided for the repair of potholes in Chichester constituency.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local highway network. West Sussex County Council is the local highway authority for the Chichester constituency, and it is therefore respons...

Whether she has plans to help deliver railway infrastructure upgrades in Chichester constituency.

The Chancellor has been clear about the state of the nation's finances and has launched a multi-year Spending Review. The Secretary of State has announced her intention to conduct a thorough review of the previous government's transport plans to ensure th...

Whether she plans to take steps to help improve the (a) reliability and (b) frequency of rail services serving Chichester constituency.

There are no current plans to make changes to rail services serving Chichester constituency following on from significant changes earlier in the year. Following a public consultation, a new West Coastway timetable was put in place from 2 June 2024. This r...